Bath Rugby are the second club to be fined for breaching this Board policy, after Northampton Saints were fined for releasing George North for Wales duty in 2013.

A Premiership Rugby spokesman said: "This Board policy has been an essential one, especially as there has been an increasing number of international matches being organised outside the specified international weeks.

“However, we continue to believe that there is appetite for change and that this on-going conflict between the club and international calendars is not good for players, clubs or unions.

“We continue to support the objective of a solution for the separation of club and international calendars in a way which benefits players, clubs and unions, and brings an end to situations such as this.”